Business
US shuts door on Nigerian goods: Over 70% of shipments rejected, exporters lament
Nigerian exporters have accused the United States Customs and Border Control (CBC) of refusing entry to over 70 per cent of their shipments from Nigeria.
According to the aggrieved exporters, most of their goods have been put on hold by the United States since the full enforcement of President Donald Trump’s 14 per cent tariff regulations on April 2, 2025.
According to the Chief Commercial Officer of AAJ Express Logistics Limited, Ini Daniel, Nigerian exporters are grappling with unprecedented challenges in shipping goods to the U.S.
He revealed that cargo and courier companies are encountering severe difficulties with clearance into the United States, resulting in a crisis for exporters.
It would be recalled that the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) recently reported a 24.4 per cent decline in export activity in the first quarter of 2025 compared to Q1 2024 and a 6.4 per cent drop from Q4 2024.
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adeniyi, noted that the decline occurred despite a surge in export volume to 5.03 billion kilogrammes, a 348 per cent increase from Q1 2024.
Continuing, the AAJ Express Logistics Limited boss said this alarming trend has caused substantial delays, creating immense challenges for shippers and importers operating in the U.S. market.
He said the turmoil has been felt acutely within the airline industry where carriers are now forced to offer significant discounts or even free returns due to the chaos surrounding tariff enforcement.
Adding to the frustration, Daniel stated that exporters are left in a fog of confusion, as officials have not provided clear explanations for the refusals.
“This dilemma is not unique to Nigeria; exporters from various European nations, China, and other African countries are similarly affected by the new regulations”, he said.
Industry experts are, however, advising Nigerian exporters to temporarily suspend shipments to the U.S. until clearer guidelines are established by U.S. Customs.
Daniel said that with uncertainty hanging in the air, exporters are anxiously awaiting clarity on demand and hope for a resolution that will allow them to resume smooth trading operations with the United States.